About Me

I desire a simple yet beautiful life reflected in William Wordsworth's poem. Being quirky, I'll only drink tea from pretty, china teacups and coffee from mugs preferring to wrap my hand around a beautifully, hand-potted mug. As a wife and mother of 4 beautiful sons, I'm continually leaning on the One who is the Author of all BEAUTY & GRACE.

Posts tagged ‘husband’

Earlier, I wrote about claustrophobic places. When the walls seem to be closing in on you, and you begin to feel like Pooh Bear (a wedged bear in a great tightness). But take courage, there is relief in those tight places. David prayed in Psalm 4:1 for God to expand him in those tight places. He had the wisdom to know sometimes God leads us to spacious places, but there are also times God chooses to expand us in those places of great tightness.

If you are in a similar place, whether physical or emotional or whatever, God can expand you. Here are my Tips for Tight Places:

1 – Pray for expansion: David admitted that he was in a tight place, and prayed for expansion. He did not just assume that God would notice and do something about it. David knew the value of asking. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive and your joy will be complete. John 16:24

2 – Pray specifically for the need:

If any of your lack wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. James 1:5

Financial expansion – This can include wisdom in budgeting, discovering new avenues of income, and utilizing current resources creatively. Watch for out-of-the box answers to your request.

This past year has been very tight financially for our family. But, we’ve discovered a wealth of things that have expanded our finances and our perspective. One extremely valuable thing my husband and I did was to attend Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. This provided us with tools and knowledge that we quite frankly didn’t possess before.

We worked with my parents and my sister’s family gardening all summer, and canning the harvest. Anyone need a jar of kraut? My two older sons and I spend our early mornings during the summer months at a local market garden picking fragrant strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. Some afternoons, we also sold buckets of berries. We were rewarded with a small income, and often times with berries as well. We became berry rich! Again and again, we discovered that God can expand a limited budget.

3 – Pray and meditate on God’s word – Then would you read a Sustaining Book, such as would help and comfort a Wedged Bear in Great Tightness? – A.A. Milne, In Which Pooh Goes Visiting

There are many comforting passages from THE Sustaining Book: The Bible. Write them on notecards and memorize them. Repeat and personalize them daily. Romans 8:31-39 is one such passage:

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

4 – Trust God – Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5 & 6

Tight places can be exceedingly uncomfortable places, but there are places of intense personal growth. Often times, they are a proving ground or preparation for new phases in your walk with God. Trust God not your circumstances, and know that He WILL make your way straight.